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Celebrating classical greats

Georgia Mann plays the best in classical music, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites.

Georgia Mann plays the best classical music for your morning, with discoveries and surprises rubbing shoulders with familiar favourites. Including the Playlister challenge: our regular listener-created sequence inspired by a different piece of music each day. Plus a new classical release in focus for Album of the Week.

1000 Playlister starter: listen and send us your ideas for the next step in today's musical journey. Text 83111 or email essentialclassics@bbc.co.uk.

1030 Album of the Week: an exciting new classical release in focus throughout the week.

1115 Playlister reveal: an uninterrupted sequence of music suggested by you in response to today's starter piece.

1200 Feast of a Piece: indulge your ears with an orchestral masterpiece.

To listen on most smart speakers say "Ask 麻豆社 Sounds to play Essential Classics鈥

3 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Thu 16 Oct 2025 09:30

Music Played

  • Ottorino Respighi

    Prelude (The Birds)

    Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 1.
  • Clara Schumann

    Piano Trio in G minor Op. 17; 1st movement, Allegro moderato

    Ensemble: Beaux Arts Trio.
    • Phillips.
  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Concerto for 3 oboes, 3 violins and continuo in B flat major TWV.44:43

    Performer: Hans-Peter Westermann. Performer: Michael Niesemann. Performer: Piet Dhont. Performer: Reinhard Goebel. Performer: Mary Utiger. Performer: Hajo Bass. Orchestra: Musica Antiqua K枚ln. Director: Reinhard Goebel. Director: Reinhard Goebel.
    • ARCHIV.
  • Karl Jenkins

    Dona nobis pacem (Stelle Natalis)

    Performer: Alison Balsom. Conductor: Karl Jenkins. Choir: Tenebrae. Choir: The Adiemus Singers. Orchestra: Marylebone Camerata.
    • EMI.
  • Franz Liszt

    Liebestr盲ume S.541 (no.3 in A flat major)

    Performer: Khatia Buniatishvili.
    • Liszt: Piano Works: Khatia Buniatishvili.
    • Sony.
    • 1.
  • Johann Strauss II

    Thunder and lightning - polka

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.
    • New Year's Concert 2018.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 17.
  • Frank Bridge

    Summer

    Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • Phillips.
  • Giovanni Gabrieli

    Canzon noni toni 脿 12, C183

    Music Arranger: Eric Crees. Performer: London Symphony Brass. Conductor: Eric Crees.
    • Cathedral Brass: London Symphony Brass/Crees.
    • Collins Classics.
    • 9.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Clarinet Quintet (1st mvt)

    Performer: Michael Collins. Ensemble: Wigmore Soloists.
    • Mozart & Birchall: Clarinet Concertos.
    • BIS.
    • 201.
  • Florence Price

    Retrospection "An Elf on a Moonbeam"

    Performer: Tom Winpenny.
    • Price: Organ Works.
    • Naxos.
    • 110.
  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Symphony No.2 in A minor (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Orchestre national de France. Conductor: Cristian M膬celaru.
    • Saint-Sa毛ns: Complete Symphonies.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 16.
  • Alonso Lobo

    Agnus Dei (Missa Prudentes virgines)

    Ensemble: Ensemble Plus Ultra.
    • From Spain to Eternity - The Sacred Polyphony of El Greco's Toledo.
    • ARCHIV.
    • 9.
  • Jean鈥怭hilippe Rameau

    La Rameau (Pieces de clavecin en concerts - concert no.4)

    Performer: V铆kingur 脫lafsson.
    • Debussy/Rameau.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 22.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Lever du jour; Pantomime; Danse g茅n茅rale (Daphnis et Chlo茅)

    Orchestra: Les Si猫cles. Choir: Ensemble vocal Aedes. Conductor: Fran莽ois鈥怷avier Roth.
    • Daphnis et Chlo茅: Complete Ballet.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 15-19.
  • Franz Schubert

    The Post (Winterreise)

    Performer: Christopher Glynn. Singer: Roderick Williams.
    • Schubert: Winter Journey.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 13.
  • Nacio Herb Brown

    Singin' in the Rain

    Singer: Gene Kelly.
    • EMI.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31, No. 2 "The Tempest": III. Allegretto

    • Corigliano / Beethoven / P盲rt / Bach "Credo".
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 4.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen (St. Matthew Passion)

    Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki. Singer: Carolyn Sampson. Singer: Damien Guillon. Orchestra: Bach Collegium Japan.
    • J.S. Bach: St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244.
    • BIS.
    • 2101.
  • Aaron Copland

    Fanfare for the Common Man

    Orchestra: San Francisco Symphony. Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas.
    • The Copland Collection.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 1.
  • Dora Bright

    Piano Concerto No 1 in A minor (2nd mvmt, Intermezzo)

    Performer: Samantha Ward. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Peebles.
    • Somm.
  • Steve Reich

    Electric Counterpoint (Fast)

    Performer: Sean Shibe.
    • Delphian.
  • George Frideric Handel

    As steals the morn (L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato)

    Singer: Lucy Crowe. Singer: Mark Padmore. Orchestra: The English Concert. Conductor: Andrew Manze.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Sonata in C major K.545 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Mitsuko Uchida.
    • Mozart: Complete Piano Sonatas: Mitsuko Uchida.
    • Philips.
    • 1.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Violin Concerto in E minor, Op 64

    Performer: James Ehnes. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Vladimir Ashkenazy.
    • Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto/Octet: James Ehnes.
    • Onyx.
    • 1.
  • Rebecca Dale

    Salve Regina

    Singer: Rosanna Wicks. Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • Night Seasons.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 6.
  • John Rutter

    Reflections (4th mvt, Finale alla burlesca)

    Performer: Steven Osborne. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Rutter.
    • Reflections.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
  • Edward Elgar

    Sospiri Op.70

    Orchestra: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.
    • Bis.
  • John Jenkins

    Fantasy 脿 5 No 16 in D major

    Ensemble: Fretwork.
    • VIRGIN.
  • Hamish MacCunn

    The Land of the Mountain and the Flood (Overture)

    Orchestra: 麻豆社 Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.
    • MacCunn - Land of the Mountain and the Flood.
    • Hyperion.
    • 001.

Broadcast

  • Thu 16 Oct 2025 09:30